Vale of White Horse

Vale of White Horse's population grew between the last two censuses. Data from the census show there were changes in.

The population passed 120,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Vale of White Horse increased by 4.6%, from almost 116,000 to 121,000.

The addition of almost 5,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Vale of White Horse was home to, on average, 1.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Vale of White Horse

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Vale of White Horse increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This affluent rural area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,600 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 12% of people in Vale of White Horse are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Vale of White Horse by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

This area saw the South East's second-largest rise in the proportion of single-person households.

Across the region, only Folkestone and Hythe saw a greater rise in the proportion of single-person households (from 31% to 33%).

During this period, Vale of White Horse went from having the 60th-highest to the 19th-lowest percentage of single-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households in Vale of White Horse had only a single person, compared with 24% in 2001. The percentage with an unmarried couple increased from 7.9% to 9.4%.

The percentage of households with only a single-person was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that that comprised only a single person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Vale of White Horse residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.8% to 3.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (86%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 75% in 2001. The percentage of Vale of White Horse residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19% to 11%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Vale of White Horse decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Vale of White Horse, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Vale of White Horse working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 11% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Vale of White Horse decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Vale of White Horse, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Vale of White Horse

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Vale of White Horse, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Vale of White Horse, the proportion of single people increased from 26% in 2001 to 28% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30% to 35%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 32%.

The proportion of married people in Vale of White Horse fell from 58% to 55%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 8.7% to 10%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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Area report data

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